David Norris is backing Eastbourne Eagles to hit a winning streak in the Elite League, starting with tomorrow night's visit of Swindon.

The new Arlington skipper, top scorer in the opening three matches, has got off to a personal flyer and he believes his team-mates are not far behind despite the club's losing start to the season.

"It's disappointing we haven't got a win, but I'm pleased with the way things have gone. There are a few areas where we're not quite up to scratch yet, but we knew it would take a bit of time."

Norris says the cup defeat at Ipswich, where Eastbourne came from 16 points down early in the meeting to only lose 51-42, was a huge boost to the team.

"They have gone away and won a couple of times, so that was a great performance for us. And there is no doubt we would have beaten Arena at home if Adam Shields had not had a lot of problems with his bikes. In two weeks time, that result will have been forgotten."

Norris, a reluctant leader when he has been asked to step into the breach in the past, is relishing his new role as captain.

"At the end of last season, it would have been a no, no, but during the winter there was a turn-round in events. It's definitely a job I feel I can do now.

"Realistically, I think I'm the only person in the present team who can do it. There is really only me or Nicki (Pedersen). I think he needs a bit of reassuring at times, and he can't reassure himself can he, so it's down to me.

"We get on pretty good, so it's not a problem for me. He knows he can concentrate on his job, which is to take everyone apart on the track and leave me to get on with being captain."

The only downer for Norris in the two matches against Arena and the one against Ipswich was blowing his best engine big time.

"That was my flying machine and it disintegrated completely. I'm having the bits flown over from Italy to repair it. It's a question of throwing £1,500 at it and it's done. It's a bit expensive, but that's the way it goes in speedway."

Norris hopes to have his No. 1 bike back in action for the Good Friday home and away dust-up with Poole, but in the meantime he will have to make do with his reserve machine.

The skipper's view on Eastbourne's early-season form is shared by team boss Jon Cook.

Cook said: "It's probably going to take a good month for us to be up and running, but the signs have been encouraging."

Cook is optimistic Eagles will build up a big enough lead to take to Swindon for the bonus point in the rearranged fixture after last night's rain-off.

He said: "They are a big-track team, so I wouldn't expect us to get anything from Swindon, but hopefully we will do enough at Arlington to set us up for the bonus point. I'm definitely ex-pecting a convincing win at home."

Swindon, who began the season as second favourites to win the league, have ex-Poole man Leigh Adams, who finished fourth behind Pedersen in the world championship last year and second in the Elite League averages, as their big gun.

Adams was virtually unbeatable around Arlington last season and his dices with Pedersen and Norris promise to provide the highlights of tomorrow night's meeting.

The key area may be lower down the order, however, where the battle for victory could be determined by the form of Eastbourne's lesser lights, Ulrich Ostergaard, Peter Ljung and Edward Kennett, who have yet to catch fire.

If they put Swindon's young trio of David Ruud, Andrew Moore and Oliver Allen to the sword, then Eagles should claw their way to their first win of 2004.